The Crankiness Crusher™

While I had a wonderful time at last night’s breast cancer awareness event, (which incidentally was held at The Brownstone, the reception hall owned by the Manzo family from the “Real Housewives of New Jersey“) I am pretty freakin’ tired today. Guess grandma isn’t used to going out on a ‘school night’ anymore. 🙂 I woke up to the oh-so-soothing sound of my daughter wailing and my son demanding yogurt (things I couldn’t quite deal with on only a few hours of sleep and zero caffeine). But as the day progressed, things got better.

Mood-booster #1 was taking my invigorating kickboxing class which led to mood-booster #2–taking a few minutes to sip my beloved grande skinny caramel macchiato (iced this time!) while chatting with a friend I bumped into. But what really crushed my crankiness today was thinking about the conversations I had last night and how great it was to really catch up with some good friends. I’m not a big fan of small talk or chats that just graze the surface so you end up talking forever about absolutely nothing. I love to discuss the things that really matter: the good, the bad & the ugly. The everyday, meaty stuff that’s shaping your life.

When was the last time you asked someone how they’re doing and actually got an honest answer? People don’t generally want to discuss what’s really bothering them (well, unless they’re the type of person who complains constantly to the point where no one even listens to them anymore!), but it’s important to make your friends aware that you WANT to know how they’re really feeling and that you’re there to listen, not judge. The more you support one other, the more you’ll share. And the more you vent and share, the better you’ll feel!

I encourage you to have a heart-to-heart conversation with someone. Allow yourself the time to really talk and get things out. Letting go of your burdens (or sharing them) will make you feel lighter–and happier.